Graduations are gone, here, or coming, and I absolutely love them: the smiles, family gatherings, hugs, energy, speaker, handshakes, and applause for awards. Mainly, I find them to be a celebration where the air is light, the future is beckoning, and whatever is heavy in life is set aside for the “Thank God it’s over”, plus anticipation for the future.

Maybe it’s the happenings around graduations that spurred me to graduate three times. I’m just kidding, of course, but along with my kids and grandkids, those special celebrations are certainly cause for many proud moments and happy memories.

Graduations and Continuations symbolize big endings and new beginnings. A person goes from being at the top of the mountain to starting over at the bottom of the totem pole. Life’s transitions are like bold stars on the calendar of life—moments of putting the last piece of the puzzle in place, opening up a brand new puzzle, and organizing a strategy for its development. It’s more than turning a page in a novel; it’s more like finishing the book and knowing it is up to you to choose the next great story.

Life gives us many transitions—some are joyous, like graduations, and some are painful, as in death, illness, change, and loss.

They all bring opportunities to grow our character, to bid the past goodbye with kisses, and to greet the future with open arms.

I believe life is about learning, and our minds would be stagnant without special events that nudge us to the next stage or level. If we don’t have special celebrations, we would flow from one accomplishment or failure to another with little notice and therefore few memories or motivation to best choose the who, what, when, why, and how of tomorrow.

Maybe my musings on the benefits of graduations are what generations before us figured out and passed on. Any activity that helps us to move forward is golden—they help us. Graduations, funerals, retirement barbecues, Super Bowls, a negative diagnosis, the four seasons, house warmings, and weddings are a few of these traditions; it all provides a way to move on to the next thing, whatever “it” is.

Years ago, I wrote a poem while riding a city bus to work. It’s too long to share, but it reminds me that transitions also happen every day as we do ordinary “life” things—look for them and celebrate them.

Let’s take graduation as an example and an excuse to celebrate all of life’s transitions. They make my world go around. They are worthy of my energy.

Congratulations to all graduates—The road to your dreams is paved and ready for you.

Until the next time: Live while you live